New Delhi, Jan. 23 -- Out of the seven sheikhdoms-Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Fujairah, and Ras Al Khaimah, six became part of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on December 2, 1971. Ras Al Khaimah, the seventh, joined the UAE on February 10, 1972. Also known as Trucial states, they were among the last territories relinquished by the British in the Gulf.

For thousands of years, India, the Sindhu (linguistically corrupted to Indus and later to India) valley civilisation traded by seafaring in dhows to exchange Indian spices, textiles, pearls, precious stones, gold, and porcelain for Arabian dates, horses, and pearls, using the Indian rupee as the trading currency before the oil era.

While official India-UAE relations beg...